IB Physics Waves

Waves Introduction
A wave is a disturbance in a medium that caries energy without a net movement of particles. A wave: transfers energy. usually involves a periodic, repetitive movement. does not result in a net movement of the medium or particles in the medium (mechanical wave). There are some basic descriptors of a wave. Wavelength () is distance between an identical part of the wave. Amplitude is maximum displacement from neutral position. This represents the energy of the wave. Greater amplitude carries greater energy. Displacement is the position of a particular point in the medium as it moves as the wave passes. Maximum displacement is the amplitude of the wave. Frequency () is the number of repetitions per second in Hz, s-1 Period (T) is the time for one wavelength to pass a point. T = -1 The velocity (v) of the wave is the speed that a specific part of the wave passes a point. The speed of a light wave is c. We will deal with two types of waves: A transverse wave has the motion of the medium perpendicular to the movement of the wave pulse. A longitudinal wave has the motion of the medium parallel to the movement of the wave pulse. For most waves, the particles of the medium move in a repetitive way that results in no net displacement. A transverse wave has the displacement of the particles in the medium moving perpendicular to the direction of the waves movement

IB Physics Waves Examples of transverse waves: Water waves (ripples of gravity waves, not sound through water) Light waves S-wave earthquake waves Stringed instruments Torsion wave The high point of a transverse wave is a crest. The low part is a trough. A longitudinal wave has the movement of the particles in the medium in the same dimension as the direction of movement of the wave. Examples of longitudinal waves: Sound waved P-type earthquake waves Compression wave Longitudinal waves create areas of compression where particles are pushed together (higher density), and rarefaction where particles are pulled apart (lower density) Sound waves are often represented by a transverse wave (sinusoidal wave). Both a transverse and longitudinal wave can be described with a displacement time graph. Why?

If a single point of the medium is examined over time, its motion will be periodic.

IB Physics Waves The displacement position graph takes a picture of the medium at a specific time. The displacement is for the medium. The position is for the progress of the wave. Why does the same graph describe both types of waves?

As a wave passes a point, the speed of the wave will be measured by the repeated motion. If the time is measured between two crests in a wave, the speed is the wavelength divided by the period. Ex 1: A person is standing on a dock. The person starts a clock as one crest passes them. As the fifth crest passes, the watch reads 3.5 s. A crest takes 4.7s to pass along the 3.2 m of the dock. What can you describe quantitatively about the wave?

v=

! =!f T

p. 386, 15, 17, 19, 21 pp. 396-398, 44-48, 50, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83

IB Physics Waves

Waves One dimensional Waves

We will examine one dimensional waves such as a transverse wave on a rope or spring, and longitudinal waves on a spring (slinky). As a mechanical wave reaches the end of its medium, it will reflect. The energy it contains will not just disappear. The reflection will vary for a hard (fixed) boundary, and for a soft (flexible or movable) boundary. The reflected wave will be upright for a soft boundary, and inverted for a fixed boundary.

A wave that reaches a change in its medium, will be have its speed changed as it passes into the new medium (refraction), and it will also reflect at the new medium (a type of boundary). Traveling into a slower medium is like a hard boundary. Traveling into a faster medium is like a soft boundary. Watch the speed of the refracted wave, and the nature of the reflected wave .

IB Physics Waves If a continuous wave is moving along a rope, and is reflected, the wave will pass over itself. Two waves at the same point are combined by the principle of superposition.

Superposition
The displacement of each wave is added together to determine the displacement of the combined wave. The two waves are interfering with each other. Destructive interference occurs if a positive displacement and a negative displacement add together to make a smaller (or zero) displacement. Constructive interference occurs if a two displacements that are the same combine to make a larger displacement. This applet shows different types of sine waves interfering. Sketch examples of constructive and destructive interference.

IB Physics Waves A reflected wave will interfere with itself and form a specific pattern. This pattern is called a standing wave. Note the differences between the type of reflection, and the differences in the standing wave that forms. Nodes are the points of zero displacement. Anti-nodes are points of maximum displacement.

A standing wave can be created whenever a continuous wave interferes with another continuous wave of the same frequency and wavelength. A standing wave is made up of moving waves. The phenomenon that results looks as if it is standing. pp. 396-399, 52-57, 67, 68, 84, 87

IB Physics Waves

Waves Standing Sound waves

A sound wave is a longitudinal wave that is often drawn as a transverse sine wave. Standing sound waves are used in musical instruments. An instrument resonates. If an object can vibrate at a natural frequency, it can resonate if an oscillation causes it to vibrate at its natural frequency. The resonating object will amplify the affect of the original vibration. A musical instrument has a method to vary its resonant frequency. Resonance is an example of a standing wave. This wave can be of various harmonics. A harmonic describes how many standing waves are present. We will examine resonant standing waves in two situations: strings and pipes with air. A standing wave is a wave that is traveling back and forth and reflecting on a medium. The boundary conditions are important because it affects the way that the wave reflects. We will start with situations with both ends (reflection points) are hard reflectors (fixed): sinusoidal, longitudinal For a standing wave, this means the fixed ends will form a node. This is used in stringed instruments. The fundamental has a length of 1 = 2l v v f1 = = !1 2l For second harmonic: 2 = 2/2l,
f2 = v v = !2 l

For the nth harmonic: n = 2/nl,

fn =

v nv = !n 2l

A pipe that is open at both ends, will form a standing wave with a soft reflection at both ends. The formulas to calculate the frequencies are the same as for a double closed pipe. Why?

IB Physics Waves A pipe with one end closed is the most common for instruments. It had one hard reflection and one soft reflection. The first harmonic has a node at the closed end and an anti-node at the open end. 1 = 4l The fundamental has a length of 1 = 4l

f1 =

v v = !1 4l

For first harmonic: 2 = 4/3l,

f2 = v 3v = !2 4l

For the nth harmonic: n = 4/2nl,

fn =

2n " 1 v v = !n 4l

How does a pipe organ have different harmonics for different notes?

How does a flute or a trumpet have different harmonics for different notes?

What is the sweet spot on a bat or club?

IB Physics Waves

Doppler Effect
Frequency of a wave can also vary due to the movement of the source of the wave or the receiver of the wave. If the source or receiver of a wave are moving together, the wave will decrease its wavelength and increase its frequency. If the source or receiver are moving apart, the wavelength will be longer and the frequency will be lower.

The Doppler effect also applies to light. A star that is moving towards us will have its light observed at a higher frequency (blue shift). A star that is moving away from us has its light observed at a longer wavelength (red shift). This lets us judge the speed of a star based on the red or blue shift of the spectral lines in the light from that star.

A potentially dangerous application of the Doppler effect occurs when an object travels at the speed of sound. A layer of compressed air develops just in front of the object. The sound wave can not get ahead of the object. In order for the object (airplane) to pass through this pressure wave, there must be adaptations made to the plane. pp. 424-427, 31, 34, 35, 37, 38, 41, 45, 48, 50, 51, 54, 57, 62, 71, 75, 76, 77,

IB Physics Waves

Waves Two dimensional waves

Two dimensional waves behave according to the same rules as one dimensional waves; however, the applications can be more complex. We will examine water waves initially to discuss two dimensional waves. A two dimensional wave is drawn by showing the wave crests and/or the direction of the waves motion. The simplest wave is from a point source. The wave spreads in all directions radially from the source. Water waves move in wave fronts. One example of a wave front is a linear wave.

One model to think about a linear wave is called Huygens Principle. Huygen suggested that each point in a wave crest should be considered a point source. As the point sources combine, the sideways parts are cancelled out, and the forward part combine to form the wave front.

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IB Physics Waves The activity you are going to complete today will require you to sketch the ripples in a wave tank in several different circumstances. You will have to explain what you observe based on Huygens principle and what you know about waves. Water waves propagates more slowly in shallow water.

In an oblique refraction, part of the wave slows before the rest of the wave. If part of the wave slows, the wave will change direction. How can you simulate this with people walking in a line?

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